Battle of Merklin

The Battle of Merklin was an aircraft shootdown incident that occurred on 10 March 1953 when the USAF and the Czechoslovak Air Force fought over the Bohemian Forest. One US F-84 Thunderjet was shot down, but the pilot bailed out and survived.

Battle
A patrolling force of two Czechoslovak MiG-15s patrolling the Bohemian Forest border with West Germany ran into two USAF F-84 Thunderjet fighters who had accidentally crossed the border, starting an air battle. During the shooting, Czechoslovak pilot Jaroslav Sramek shot down Warren G. Brown's plane, resulting in Brown bailing out after descending for 35 miles. Brown landed safely in West Germany, and the two air forces broke off from contact.